The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule that, effective Nov. 2, will increase for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2018 the hourly rates charged for Sunday, holiday or other overtime work performed by its employees for any person, firm or corporation having ownership, custody or control of plants, plant products, animals, poultry, animal byproducts, germ plasm, organisms, vectors or other regulated commodities or articles subject to certain inspection, laboratory testing, certification or quarantine under USDA regulations.

11/2/15-9/30/16

10/1/16-9/30/17

Beginning 10/1/17

Monday-Saturday and holidays

$75

$75

$75

Sundays

$99

$99

$100

APHIS is also increasing for these fiscal years the overtime rates charged to owners or operators of aircraft for inspection or quarantine services provided by an APHIS employee at an airport outside the regularly established hours of service.

11/2/15-9/30/16

10/1/16-9/30/17

Beginning 10/1/17

Monday-Saturday and holidays

$64

$65

$65

Sundays

$85

$86

$86

This rule clarifies that agricultural inspections performed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection outside of regular business hours may be billed in accordance with CBP overtime regulations. APHIS notes that most of the agricultural inspections discussed in this rule are generally performed by CBP and that those performed by APHIS are typically associated with the importation of live plants, which occur at designated plant inspection stations, and APHIS oversight of certain port of entry treatments.